ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF AN ACTIVE POPULATION-BASED PNEUMONIA SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN NAKHON PHANOM PROVINCE, THAILAND
Issued Date
2026-04-28
Resource Type
ISSN
01251562
eISSN
26975718
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105041647535
Journal Title
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health
Volume
57
Issue
3
Start Page
472
End Page
487
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health Vol.57 No.3 (2026) , 472-487
Suggested Citation
Chuxnum T., Praphasiri P., Tipayamongkholgul M. ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF AN ACTIVE POPULATION-BASED PNEUMONIA SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN NAKHON PHANOM PROVINCE, THAILAND. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health Vol.57 No.3 (2026) , 472-487. 487. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/117431
Title
ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF AN ACTIVE POPULATION-BASED PNEUMONIA SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN NAKHON PHANOM PROVINCE, THAILAND
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Corresponding Author(s)
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Abstract
Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Thailand. In this study, we aimed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of an active population-based pneumonia surveillance system implemented in Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand, in order to inform public health resource allocation in that province. The surveillance system recorded the incidence and causative organisms of pneumonia in the study province. In order to assess this surveillance system, we purposely recruited 15 key local, national, and international subjects with the experience to accurately conduct this assessment: policymakers (n = 6), epidemiologists (n = 5), laboratory technicians (n = 3) and a physician (n = 1). Each subject was interviewed using standardized questions and the answers were recorded. Interview transcripts were analyzed using conventional content analysis. The 15 subjects, consisted of 11 (73.3%) males and 4 (26.7%) females. The mean age of subjects was 51 (range: 39-61) years. The study subjects stated the surveillance system should have 5 main objectives: 1) identify the pneumonia etiological organisms, 2) detect and report pneumonia cases in a timely manner, 3) support public health policy decisions, including resource allocation and targeted prevention, such as vaccination of high-risk groups, 4) monitor changes in respiratory pathogens over time, and 5) estimate the incidence of pneumonia and associated mortality. Subjects stated the strengths of the surveillance system were 1) its strong inter-agency collaboration, 2) the surveillance system support by hospital administrators and 3) the good cooperation among physicians, nurses and surveillance officers. The subjects stated the weaknesses of the surveillance system were lack of limited sharing of the surveillance findings with the medical providers and inadequate integration between pneumonia-specific and routine hospital laboratory systems. More specifically, medical providers and routine hospital laboratories in the study area could not access the summarized laboratory results produced by the surveillance system. The subjects suggested the following improvements be made to the surveillance system: 1) improve data-sharing mechanisms among all those involved in the system, including the medical providers, 2) improve integration between the pneumonia-specific laboratory activities and routine hospital laboratory systems and 3) improve communication across local, national and international levels. In summary, the aims of the surveillance system should be to identify the causes of pneumonia, their change over time and the incidence of pneumonia in a timely manner following national public health policies. Strengths of the system were the support the system had at multiple levels but weaknesses were inadequate communication of data and lack of systems to easily share this data. We conclude more effort should be put into the system at all levels to allow adequate communication and sharing of system data. Further studies are needed to determine what reasonable technologies are needed to allow good communication and data sharing in the system at all levels and how best to integrate this into other active surveillance systems nationally.